Especially during the pandemic, I’ve always had a hard time understanding why the Queen keeps moving around so much. In 2020, palace aides and royal protection made Prince Philip move out of his beloved Wood Farm. They forced him to move to Windsor Castle, and he was reportedly really mad about it. Then that summer, the Queen and Philip traveled to Balmoral like a pandemic wasn’t raging. She also went to Balmoral last summer, and she’s been moving (or being moved) between Sandringham and Windsor Castle constantly over the past year. We’ve been told endlessly that she has these terrible mobility issues and that she’s unable to do any in-person events… so why is she being moved constantly? It’s the weirdest thing. Anyway, the Queen is back in Sandringham for her birthday week. She was just there in February!
The Queen is to spend her 96th birthday tomorrow at her beloved late husband’s home at Sandringham. The monarch will travel to the Norfolk estate by helicopter today and stay at Wood Farm – the ‘modest’ farmhouse that Prince Philip made his home following his retirement from public life – until early next week. It is expected she will be visited by family and friends over the next few days to celebrate in a typically ‘low-key’ way.
While in Norfolk, she is likely to spend time visiting her Royal Stud and being driven around her 20,000-acre estate, which was extensively modernised by Philip and more recently Prince Charles, who has taken over its running.
Buckingham Palace is not planning any kind of major public engagement to mark her birthday but there will be tributes from family members and the organisations she has been involved with. Her short holiday will be taken as an encouraging sign given her recent health and mobility issues which have seen her forced to pull out of a string of engagements. She has no major confirmed engagements in her diary and is not even sure what events to mark her Platinum Jubilee in June she will be in a position to commit to.
They always make it sound like the Queen was constantly with Philip at Wood Farm when he retired there in 2017. This was not the case! She would maybe spend a week with him at Wood Farm every six months, if that. When Philip lived at Wood Farm, Penelope Knatchbull was his more regular companion. But I do imagine that the Queen likes it there – it’s understood that Philip made some renovations to it, and other renovations were made during his retirement years, to ensure that it was a comfortable and easy place for old bones. Not a lot of stairways, wide passages, soft carpets, and I would imagine everything is handicap-accessible. But again… the Queen is likely ripping through Windsor Castle on her fancy Mercedes golf cart. Why move her? Also: the Queen has already been moved! She was taken to Sandringham by helicopter earlier today.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Queen Elizabeth II leaves Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence, after a reception with representatives from local community groups to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659601837, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659601877, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659601975, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659602010, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II leaves Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence, after a reception with representatives from local community groups to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659635986, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, which is the Queen’s Norfolk residence, with representatives from local community groups to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee. The Queen came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on February 6 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.,Image: 659636049, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Giddens / Avalon
Happy Birthday, Ma’am! How would you like to spend the day? Queen: I want to be with my horses.
Exactly.
I wonder if the corgis were hellied there too?
I have to wonder, she has trouble just moving forward on her feet… HOW does she climb INTO a heli…or even one of those big SUV Land Rovers?? Have they pulled out the seats and put ramps in to wheel her in? Does she allow the peons to touch her “person” in order to help her into the cars/helis? SO many questions! lol
Wonder if she is going to stay there until the Jubbly as it’s probably handicap ready (wheel in showers, lower counters, etc) that accommodated Phil.
It also is helpful to be out of so many eyes at Windsor, that can attest to her failing health.
Maybe they have a chair lift.
The Queen is supposed to be the Head of State. Any other country would be asking why she’s takes so much time off work, what is ailing her and why the public doesn’t see her? But the UK is a monarchy so people can’t ask these questions and demand answers.
That tells you how irrelevant she really is. And you are right, if she were a President with this much time off, people would respond much differently.
She doesn’t do anything her role is ceremonial. She doesn’t run the government.
Look at this dress. It hangs on her. She’s lost a lot of weight this past year. I wonder if she’s dealing with something like cancer maybe involving her bones. That’s my hypothesis, as a doctor.
Looks like “failure to thrive.” Frequently happens after the loss of a long-term spouse. I am very concerned about the bruising on her lower legs.
Weight loss happens when you age. You don’t expect people in their 90s to get fatter and fatter.
Aw, she just wants to spend her bday with her horses. Sounds lovely, and I would too if I had a family like hers.
Yes! You don’t have to worry that any of the horses will stick a knife in your back or ask you for money. As for the queen moving around so much right now, she’s always done that. She’s always gone to Sandringham at specific times of the year, to Balmoral at specific times, etc., etc. This is a woman who doesn’t like or want change.
I am starting to sense what could be considered elder abuse, as a previous post suggested. Not the extreme, more overt elder abuse that can be seen more commonly, but elderly monarch abuse, certainly bullying, seems to be the order of the day.
Wonder if they’re trying to get her away from Andrew, possibly worried about a birthday photo with the two of them in it.
I think I asked last time why she was going to Wood Farm and not the main house at Sandringham, and the mobility issues make sense – if wood farm is more able to accommodate her wheelchair etc. Also wonder if that’s a way to keep visiting family away, LOL.
This is what I think, too. This is the second time since Philip’s death that she’s settled at Wood Farm instead of The Big House for her “progress.” Philip retired there *because* he had it to himself (and Penny). For the Queen to use it for her Sandringham visits suggests it has been modified for accessibility and is more comfortable for a senior dealing with physical limitations.
Yes. Since she is the Queen, people might think she might be safe from unscrupulous people, but she is more vulnerable because her children are likely not directly involved in her care, so the staff become surrogates.
She has money and other resources. When she dies those staff members might no longer have that access or that status, as Charles might replace them with staff members he prefers.
The staff might be trying to prop her up for as long as possible to protect their own interests.
AK?
You hit the nail on the head. Wood Farm was updated for the needs of a mobility impaired individual when Philip retired and made it his primary home – ramps, leveled floors, a wheel-in shower, furniture placed in key locations and removed from problem spaces, etc.
The main house at Sandringham was built in the 1870s with multiple additions in later years. That almost always makes for problems in access. The floors in a building that old are generally uneven, in each section may not all be on the same level, so there are random steps all over the place. It also probably hasn’t been fully updated in years. I’d honestly be surprised if there is a separate walk-in (much less a wheel-in) shower in any of the bathrooms.
She likely wants to be at Sandringham because that place probably feels most like “home” to her, it’s “her’s”, not a Crown property like Windsor. However, the main building can’t accommodate her current needs, so she’s at Wood Farm, which can.
I wouldn’t be surprised if part of Philip’s objection to Windsor during the pandemic was that his living quarters hadn’t been fully updated to fit his needs. Many of the public areas of Windsor have been made accessible, but I doubt the family spaces were similarly updated.
Kaiser, to answer your question about why she moved around during the pandemic: because she gets what she wants, because she and the people around her truly believe she was ordained by God to rule. So what she thinks is right, and something is right because she thinks it.
Slightly OT, but did anyone ever ID that olive green coat?
Every time I see that coat, I want to get my hands on it. Well, not literally, I’m not going to take it off a little old lady, but you get what I mean. It’s gorgeous & timeless.
I like the coat as well! It is very different from her usual coats.
They moved the Queen to Sandringham to make sure she wasn’t accessible for Harry to make any visits to on his return flight home.
That’s why they moved her, and why they moved her right now.
Charles & the aides he installed around her are tightening their control & limiting access.
Damn. That could be. I assumed Harry would fly directly home to M/A/L/D, having had his face to face with his grandmother, but Charles and crew wouldn’t necessarily believe that. They’re just paranoid and petty enough to maneuver her away from Harry’s flight path.
That was my thoughts too. They don’t want any more stories about Harry popping in for a birthday visit. I bet they will make sure he never spends time alone with her again. I think his surprise visit made a lot of people in and out of the family very angry. No point coming to the Jubbly Harry, even so granny can see the kids.
It’s only a 30 minute flight from the Netherlands. Were they worried that Harry would pop in for a quick Happy Birthday? You should apply for a CIA job, Lola.
Makes her further away from H’s favorite cousin Eugenie also.
I totally agree with the possibilty of Charles putting her in lockdown away from any unauthorized visits not okayed personally by himself. The timing of this move is highly suspicious!
I suspect wood farm is set up like a care home/mini hospital, albeit with gold pianos here and there. I think Philip needed a lot of care with 24/7 nursing staff in his later years and the queen seems to be quite unwell- perhaps wood farm is set up like a hospital with visiting doctors etc?
I’m a Britophile. This site has the best, most thoughtful takes on the current situation and the cultural anthropologist in me finds the culture surrounding the British Royal Family fascinating (though outdated and racist, yes). If my memory serves, both her father and grandfather died at Sandringham. I’m sure they wouldn’t think of doing something like this now but I recall reading about Sandringham being set up for medical care – even surgeries- under both Georges. I’m sure at this point Liz would be in the hospital if she needed surgery but I think receiving medical care might be easier to receive at Sandringham as it’s technically a private residence and the amount of prying eyes can be restricted. I think about Liz’s diligence to carry on tradition which leads me to predict she’ll lay her head down for the final time at Sandringham like the two monarchs before her. I genuinely will be surprised if she lives to see all of 2022. She seems to be declining rapidly after getting COVID. I kind of wish they would keep her at Sandringham and kept Philip there too. It seems more peaceful in your final moments than Windsor.
“Prying eyes” is a good point. I think many people here may have missed it but there was an astonishing lapse in security at Windsor Castle on Monday. The Mail had an ‘exclusive’ set of photos and video film taken,allegedly, by a member of the public from inside the quadrangle. The film showed members of the RF preparing to leave the Castle and packing luggage into cars. The main focus of the story was Prince Louis jumping into the boot of the Cambridge car as Kate and Nanny Maria were arranging the luggage. Other shots included Beatrice with ‘Wolfie’ , her husband with their daughter, plus Lady Louise. The final shots were of two cars leaving the quadrangle and passing close to whoever was filming.
The whole story was quickly removed and has been removed from search engines. (if you search for it the first shot of the video appears but clicking on it produces nothing) It was an illegal intrusion and particularly serious in the focus on a young child.
Windsor Castle is not a public place. It is a private residence where public access is allowed at specified times and subject to conditions including a ban on cameras and filming. When the Queen is in residence there are further limitations.
There probably were guided tours taking place on Monday and people may have caught a glimpse of RF members but nobody should have been in a position to film them.
I saw that, Kate picking up Louis and hoisting him into the back after he tried it on his own. If someone could get that close with a camera, think of the damage if a weapon were available. Scary and glad it’s taken down. Harry has a right to be concerned about security.
Most of us assumed those photos were like the Flybee stunt or the “family” pub meal – authorized by Kate and Will to garner good publicity. In at least one of those cases, the photos were pulled after, but publishing them in the first place was the goal.
Wood Farm’s where they hid Prince John until his convenient death.
They’re trying to keep her away from Andrew.
Preventing an elder from maintaining social and family ties could be considered a form of abuse. If the Queen very much wants to see Andrew, Harry or whoever, she has every right to do so. Is this what Harry was referring to, that she has the people around her who uphold her rights and make her last days meaningful?
@TEECEE You could be right about Cambridge contrivance. If they did arrange this it backfired because other people were filmed without their knowledge including Beatrice’s family. Plus it was a security breach when the Queen was in residence.
The Mail’s story focused on Louis just the day after public responses to the Easter Sunday appearance without Louis. Also, everyone appeared to be in casual clothes except Kate who wore a dress and heels.
I imagine there will now be an investigation.
She’s being moved because she wants to be somewhere where she is comfortable,happy and with non stressful people. Being wheeled and lifted into a car is something you can do instead of standing on your feet for hours on end and walking from one thing to the next.
Which of her family and friends could possibly visit? Her friends are dead. The Cambridges’ kids are in school back in London as of today. Beatrice and eugenie live in Windsor and London. Zara Philip and Anne all live in southern England too. Edward and Sophie and their school aged children live in Windsor. Even the really extended family is in London or the south of England.
These trips mean she is not around her family or loved ones for days on end. That’s how Angela Kelly has successfully risen to a power position to begin with. And that’s not to say a part of it isn’t the Queen’s own fault. But regardless, this is a deeply isolating place that makes it impossible for anyone to simply drop in for a visit.
But the Queen has never really spent much time with family or her husband. The Queen’s ‘family’ are courtiers, which is part of what Harry may find worrying.
Isolating, yes, but is it self isolation ( as in just leave me alone ) or is someone deliberately preventing her from seeing family?